Diogo Jota's goal after just 97 seconds against Southampton is Liverpool's earliest in the Premier League since April 2019 (15 seconds vs Huddersfield)Diogo Jota scored twice as Liverpool thrashed Southampton to move up to second in the Premier League, one point behind leaders Chelsea.
Southampton arrived at Anfield clearly determined to attack the hosts but their bold intent was punished after less than two minutes when Andrew Robertson was allowed to get away down the flank and cross for Jota to poke in.
Sensing the opportunity to secure a big win against wide-open opponents, Liverpool kept up the attack, Sadio Mane heading wide before having a goal ruled out for a marginal offside.
But a second goal duly arrived just after the half-hour mark when the unmarked Jota tapped in from Mohamed Salah's square ball after good link-up play between the Egypt international and Jordan Henderson.
Those two strikes took Liverpool to 700 goals scored since Jurgen Klopp arrived at Anfield - they have also become the first top-flight team in English football to score at least twice in 17 straight matches in all competitions since Sunderland in 1927.
The Reds were not done there, however, and a third goal arrived just a few minutes later when the visitors failed to clear their lines properly and Thiago Alcantara punished them with a deflected strike for his second goal in as many games.
The half-time interval provided only a brief respite and Liverpool made it 4-0 soon after the restart as Virgil van Dijk fired in from a corner.
Jota almost completed his hat-trick midway through the second half but stabbed just wide as Southampton kept the damage to four goals when in truth it could have been much worse.
A perfect result heading into busy festive period
Liverpool 4-0 Southampton: Ralph Hasenhuttl takes blame for Saints hammeringWith games every three or four days, December is looking like it could be a crucial month in the title race but Liverpool head into the festive period in imperious form.
In the space of seven days they have sent Arsenal, Porto and now Southampton away from Anfield empty handed - scoring 10 goals and conceding none.
It is the sort of marker they needed to lay down after a couple of disappointing results at the start of this month - drawing at home to Brighton and losing at West Ham - but the last few days have shown Liverpool at their attacking best.
They were helped in this game by a Saints side who looked disjointed and far too open from the outset, but the hosts' attacking play would have found a way through a stiffer defence than this.
Liverpool's pace going forward was relentless, with Jota, Mane and Salah hanging off the shoulders of the Southampton defenders, ready to pounce on any opportunity.
This was a rare game in which Salah was not on the scoresheet but he still more than played his part and his assist for the second meant he has now been directly involved in 150 Premier League goals in his 171 league games for the Reds.
The pace certainly dropped off after Van Dijk scored Liverpool's fourth but with nine games coming up in December, Liverpool perhaps wisely conserved their energy.
Player of the match
Diogo JotaDiogo Jota
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
1Alisson
66Alexander-Arnold5Konaté4van Dijk26Robertson
14Henderson3Fabinho6Thiago Alcántara
11Salah20Jota10Mané
1Alisson66Alexander-Arnold5Konaté4van Dijk26Robertson14HendersonSubstituted forMilnerat 67'minutes3Fabinho6Thiago AlcántaraSubstituted forOxlade-Chamberlainat 59'minutes11Salah20JotaSubstituted forMinaminoat 81'minutes10ManéSubstitutes
7Milner15Oxlade-Chamberlain18Minamino21Tsimikas27Origi32Matip62Kelleher76N Williams80MortonSouthampton
Formation 3-4-3
1McCarthy
35Bednarek4Lyanco22Salisu
21Livramento8Ward-Prowse6Romeu15Perraud
18Broja10Adams9A Armstrong
1McCarthy35BednarekBooked at 11minsSubstituted forRedmondat 45'minutes4Lyanco22Salisu21Livramento8Ward-Prowse6Romeu15PerraudSubstituted forWalker-Petersat 88'minutes18Broja10AdamsSubstituted forTellaat 45'minutes9A ArmstrongSubstitutes
2Walker-Peters7Long11Redmond20Smallbone23Tella27Diallo32Walcott43Valery44ForsterLive Text
Match ends, Liverpool 4, Southampton 0.
Second Half ends, Liverpool 4, Southampton 0.
Foul by Fabinho (Liverpool).
Oriol Romeu (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Foul by James Milner (Liverpool).
Nathan Tella (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Southampton. Kyle Walker-Peters replaces Romain Perraud.
Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Virgil van Dijk.
Foul by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool).
Adam Armstrong (Southampton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt blocked. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Fabinho.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Romain Perraud (Southampton).
Attempt missed. James Milner (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution, Liverpool. Takumi Minamino replaces Diogo Jota.
Foul by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool).
Armando Broja (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Diogo Jota.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Mohammed Salisu.
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